About Initiative

Our hospital ships save lives by bringing medical care to the poor and marginalized in otherwise inaccessible areas of Bangladesh. In the 1990s, Yves Marre sailed a river barge from France to donate it for use by the people of Bangladesh. The barge was converted into Friendship’s first floating hospital. We now have three hospital ships that move every few months to reach as many people as possible. A relatively simple operation is often all that is needed to save or dramatically improve a life. This happens continuously onboard our hospital ships. OUR HOSPITAL SHIPS HELP SAVE AND DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE LIVES Survival is an everyday struggle in the river island areas (or Chars) of Bangladesh, where communities live in poverty isolated from the mainland, surrounded by water and without access to the most basic services. In the 1990s, Yves Marre sailed a river barge from France to donate it for use by the people of Bangladesh. The barge was converted into Friendship’s first floating hospital. We now have three hospital ships that move every few months to reach as many people as possible. A relatively simple operation is often all that is needed to save or dramatically improve a life. This happens continuously onboard our hospital ships.